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Waiting For Prometheus
Jun 10, 1:00AM
What is the real issue brought up by this whole PRISM debacle? It’s not that the government is willing to overstep its role using national security as an excuse. That’s been going on for thousands of years. It’s not that companies in a position of power are willing to throw those that rely on them under the bus in order to get ahead. Again, that’s nothing new. And it’s not that the institution of journalism has crumbled into a dismal wreckage of its former glory. Possibly true, but beside the point. The issue central to all of these is that the fundamental balance of power when it comes to control of information has been allowed to shift unthinkably far away from the individual and towards a set of institutions with motives that are at best mercenary. It’s about time we fixed that, don’t you think? To address the PRISM scandal itself briefly, I think we will be less surprised at the existence of such a program than, as I think will inevitably transpire, the incompetence and inefficiency that almost certainly define its methods and usage. Allegations of a massive conspiracy that goes so deep that the most powerful tech companies in the world are muzzling themselves and spitting lies out of fear and legal obligation assume, as other theories often do, that this shadow government pulling the strings is both massively effective and operates totally in secret, two things that are highly incongruous with the likely reality of incompetent civil servants, out-of-date methods, and bureaucracy choking everything in sight like the inextinguishable weed it is. False Start But whether they are siphoning our private data well or poorly is beside the point. The important thing is that they (whether “they” is defined as the NSA, Google’s marketing department, or malicious hackers and organizations) have access to your data in bulk and on demand. Why do we allow this? And I don’t mean “why does the law permit it?”. It also doesn’t matter much whether the government is doing it legally or illegally, because “abuse” is difficult to define and easy to justify in retrospect. What matters is that they are even capable of viewing and collecting our personal, private data in this way. Why is it even possible that Verizon has this level of data to disclose? Why is it even possible that Apple can infer and cache our locationsTo The Victors Go The Spoiler Alerts
Jun 10, 12:49AM
Warning: this post contains minor spoiler alerts — mainly that the penultimate episode of season 3 of Game of Thrones contains something major, worthy of a true spoiler alert. Something which you probably already know if you've used the internet this past week. So, if you've been alive. Last week, I did something I don't normally do — I watched the latest episode of Game of Thrones right around the time that it was actually airing on HBO. You see, I don't have cable, so I can't get HBO. But each week, these episodes tend to find their way to me anyway, as they spread around the internet like wildfire around Blackwater Bay. But I digress...After Selling Its Display Network To Ziff Davis, InPowered Expands 'Earned Advertising' Beyond Tech
Jun 09, 11:00PM
A few weeks ago, we broke the news that InPowered would be selling its NetShelter display advertising business to publisher Ziff Davis. Now the company is ready to talk about what comes next. Peyman and Pirouz Nilforoush, the brothers who co-founded InPowered and serve as CEO and president respectively, said they're using the money from the deal (an undisclosed amount) to double down on InPowered's concept of "earned advertising."It's Time For Apple To Treat Us Like Adults
Jun 09, 10:00PM
It’s time for Apple to treat us like adults. The company revolutionized the smartphone with iOS, no doubt. But as iOS gets older, its users are, too, and fewer and fewer of them are first-time smartphone owners. It made sense to hold everybody’s hands when this whole idea of a computer in your pocket was new. But just as Apple will probably move from skeuomorphic design to a more abstract flat design in iOS 7, it should also trust its users a bit more and give them more control over how they want to use the operating system. Sure, Apple will never allow something like Facebook Home on its phones (that’s an abomination anyway), but isn’t it time for Apple to allow users to switch at least some defaults away from Apple’s own apps and to allow third-party services to come in and take over? The prime example here is obviously Safari. Google’s Chrome, Opera and others make pretty competitive mobile browsers now and many of them are superior to Safari in a number of ways. With its proxy services, for example, both Google and Opera can save users bandwidth costs (in Chrome, that’s just available in the Android beta, right now). I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple soon also offered this feature, but why not let the user choose a default browser. Google already redirects iOS users to Chrome from its own apps like Gmail for iOS when possible, but most apps don’t do this, so there is really no point in switching browsers. The same thing goes for Apple Maps, too. It’s the prime example of a default iOS app that’s inferior to its competitors, but it’s still the app that Yelp and every other popular app will always open. It’s a bit easier to switch to long-term, because you’ll probably want to use it as a standalone app, too, but it’s still an unnecessary hassle. Outside of apps, it would also be nice if Apple finally allowed third-party keyboards. Let’s face it – the standard iOS keyboard is getting a bit old. Sure, sooner or later, Apple will likely copy Swype (just like Google did) and offer a swipe-driven keyboard, too, but there is something to be said for choice. I can hear the murmuring: Why don’t you just switch to Android? The truth is, I probably will. For a long time, the trade-off was great userWhat Games Are: Have We Hit "Peak Mobile"?
Jun 09, 9:00PM
Mobile gaming may still be a very hot ticket, but with the recent news from companies like Zynga and Tapjoy of closures an difficulty, it does seem to have become a more difficult landscape. With the costs of user acquisition continuing and a sense that perhaps the customer is not as blind as before, the question of whether mobile gaming has peaked is important to consider. Are we at the top yet?How The NSA Hunts For Startups Through A VC Firm Dedicated To Serving Intelligence Community
Jun 09, 8:45PM
In-Q-Tel (IQT) is a not-for-profit venture capital group that helps the NSA and other agencies hunt for startup and young companies that develop core technology for the U.S. intelligence community. These young companies are often outside the reach of the intelligence community — about 70 percent of them have never worked with the government before. IQT often co-invests with venture capital groups, giving the CIA, NSA and other intelligence agencies access to the most new and innovative technologies on the market. IQT is highly influential with the startup community and serves as an arm for intelligence operations. That's evident in how it markets itself to potential employees: The bottom line is that In-Q-Tel accelerates the Intelligence Community's access to cutting-edge technology. We have had significant impact in supporting the IC mission, but we know that the only way to maintain our success is to continually attract top-notch talent from a wide variety of industries and professions. We are constantly reaching out to individuals who can add their creativity to the task before us – improving our nation's security. What The NSA Is Looking For Job listings for IQT show the sophistication of the technology that the intelligence community is seeking: Top-secret clearance is needed for the people applying to work at IQT as a systems engineer. This is the job that does the technical work of transferring the startups and other porfolio companies to the intelligence community. These technologies include but are not limited to geospatial analytic tools, video analytic products, large-scale data systems, multilingual translation tools, security and mobility products. IQT lists "social network analysis," as an area of focus for an intern in software engineering out of its Menlo Park office. In the job post, knowledge of OpenStack is listed as a plus. OpenStack has gained importance with the NSA for integrating the infrastructures of its various different agencies. It looks like the intelligence community needs better messaging and identity systems. A job listing for a member of the technical staff states they need someone "to define technology requirements and recommend solutions for identity and authentication for a secure email and messaging platform." A job posting for a strategic advisor shows the extent that IQT seeks out tech companies with disruptive technologies. The job essentially requires the person to seek out companies that are doing some of the most extraordinary work in Silicon Valley. The posting cites advanced analytics, data visualization,First Cut Pro Just Made Post-Production Collaborative Video Editing Much Less Painful
Jun 09, 8:00PM
Editing video is tedious enough on its own, but it becomes a whole new world of pain when producers, editors, audio guys, and others are trying to collaborate on a single project. That's where First Cut Pro (not to be confused with Final Cut Pro) comes in. The software comes out of Austin, where the company won our TC Meetup + Pitch-off Competition, meaning that the First Cut Pro guys will be ready to roll at TC Disrupt SF in September.Spy Whistleblower Comes Forward, Says "NSA Routinely Lies"
Jun 09, 6:53PM
The NSA whistleblower who exposed America’s massive spying operation has come out and taken an interview with the leak reporter, The Guardian‘s Glenn Greenwald. “The NSA has built an infrastructure that allows it to intercept almost everything. With this capability, the vast majority of human communications are automatically ingested without targeting. If I wanted to see your emails or your wife’s phone, all I have to do is use intercepts. I can get your emails, passwords, phone records, credit cards,” he said, in an interview taped in Hong Kong. Edward Snowden, 29, who has claimed he has worked with the National Security Agency, admits he never expects to see home again, but said, “I don’t want to live in a society that does these sorts of things.” In response to officials downplaying the NSA’s targeting capability, “the NSA routinely lies in response to congressional inquiries about the scope of surveillance in America.” Snowden argues that the institutional culture of the NSA has a sort of self-righteous attitude on national security: “Whenever we had a debate in the office on how to handle crimes, they do not defend due process – they defend decisive action.” As for Snowden himself, “The only thing I can do is sit here and hope the Hong Kong government does not deport me,” noting that he might jet off to Iceland in the hopes of finding a place that will protect him. The full, fascinating interview is on The Guardian here.Google's Inroads For Waze Could Roadblock Facebook And Apple
Jun 09, 6:31PM
According to the Globes, an Israel-based publication, Google is reportedly set to acquire the Israeli transit and navigation company Waze for $1.3 billion, making it one of the larger Google acquisitions in recent memory. This news comes amid swirling rumors that Waze would be bought up by one of the big guys, Facebook, Google, or Apple.How Google Sets Goals
Jun 09, 6:03PM
Goal setting within a startup or company is essential to success. But there are a number of different approaches to attaining these goals both within teams and individually. And what better framework to follow than Google's strategy around establishing goals. This gem is part of the Google Ventures Startup Lab's body of content, explained by current Googlers, and other technology execs; aimed at helping startups navigate things like A/B testing, holding productive meetings and more. While most of these talks are private, Google Ventures is gradually posting a number of these discussions online for all entrepreneurs to access. In the video above, Google Ventures partner Rick Klau, who runs the Startup Lab with Ken Norton, covers the value of setting objectives and key results (OKRs) and how this has been done at Google since 1999.Skeuomorphism Isn't iOS's Biggest Problem
Jun 09, 5:49PM
Word leaked out earlier that the new release of Apple's operating system, iOS 7, is in for a major overhaul, most notably bringing an end to so-called "skeuomorphic" design (visual metaphors reflecting the physical objects a digital version aims to replace - e.g. the faux leather in "Find My Friends," bookshelves in iBooks, fake glass, notepad paper in Notes, green felt in Game Center, and so on.) It's a welcome change to say the least, but more concerning is the fact that outside of the visual tweaks, the overall look of the operating system is supposed to remain very familiar.Hacker Faces More Jail Time Than The Convicted Steubenville Rapists He Exposed
Jun 09, 5:33PM
A 26-year-old farm dweller who helped expose the rape of a teenage girl is facing up to 5x more jail time than the high school football members who publicly assaulted the girl. The Steubenville rape case became a national firestorm after it was revealed that dozens of people had witnessed the assault at a party and then shared pictures and social media updates of the event mocking the girl. Angered that a small town was turning their back on justice, several hacktivist groups got involved, including Deric Lostutter, who helped post a video on the football team’s website outing the assailants and bringing national attention to their crimes. “If convicted of hacking-related crimes, Lostutter could face up to 10 years behind bars—far more than the one- and two-year sentences doled out to the Steubenville rapists,” reports Mother Jones, in an exclusive interview with Lostutter. The first-time digital activist claims he never hacked the page, but was the masked man in the video. His relatively light touch reportedly didn’t stop the FBI from treating him like a world-class terrorist. “As I open the door to greet the driver, approximately 12 FBI SWAT team agents jumped out of the truck, screaming for me to ‘Get the fuck down!’ with M-16 assault rifles and full riot gear, armed, safety off, pointed directly at my head,” Lostutter recalls on his own blog. The excessive force and even worse penalty highlights why many are calling for a reform of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFA), which treats principled hacking on par with the worst federal crimes. The CFA came to national attention last year after respected Internet prodigy, Aaron Swartz, committed suicide after harsh prosecutors threatened him with 50+ years in prison for freeing academic articles from a paywalled database. "We should prevent what happened to Aaron from happening to other Internet users," wrote Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CrunchGov Grade: A) about her (failed) “Aaron’s Law” bill. While the hacker did violate the law, they are the newest evolution in the beloved American tradition of civil disobedience. “It was everything that I’d ever preached, and now there’s this group of people getting off the couch and doing something about it. I wanted to be part of the movement,” recalls Lostutter, of the Hacktivist mission-statement videos that inspired him to get involved. Like many first-time activists before him, he seems like a typical American, not aIterations: Getting To Series A Is Not Sexy, It's Really Hard Work
Jun 09, 5:00PM
If you keep up with all the tech startup news, it's easy to develop the impression that money is just sloshing around the Valley and even the worst products and ideas curry investors' interests. Thankfully, this is far from the truth. As many of you know, raising institutional funding is quite hard and the process takes a long time, sometimes years. Years ago, Pandora suffered through brutal fundraising meetings before eventually securing venture capital -- the rest is now history. And, just a few years ago, it was Pinterest who had to slog through many financing rejections before turning the tables on everyone. To that end, I wanted to highlight a company that I've been personally involved with as an advisor, where I've known one co-founder (Ryan) for seven years through graduate school and have come to know his CEO (Sunil) over the last five years. In fact, I remember Ryan telling me about his company while we were in graduate school (around 2008), and now, five years after starting their company -- Scripted -- the team finally reached, secured, and closed their Series A. Below is a brief Q&A with Sunil about their journey to date, which goes into candid detail about fundraising, marketplace businesses, and the emotional ups and downs of the process:
Facebook's New Colocation And Image Recognition Patents Tease The Future Of Sharing
Jun 09, 11:35AM
Facebook's empire was built on photo tags and sharing, but it's a grueling process many neglect. Luckily, new Facebook patents give it tech to continuously capture video whenever your camera is open, rank and surface the best images, and auto-tag them with people, places, and businesses. They tease a future where pattern, facial, and audio recognition identify what you're seeing for easy sharing.Is Your Enterprise Software Company Ready To Sell?
Jun 09, 8:00AM
Editor's note: Ted Summe is the founder of Discoverly, an enterprise tool that puts social data to work. Earlier in his career, he worked with enterprise software companies at Morgan Stanley and bought them at Salesforce.com. Having slung enterprise software companies at Morgan Stanley and bought them at Salesforce.com, I've got some perspective on what it takes to sell an enterprise software company. It's no secret that before you even get started, there are a number of things to consider. Who will fund your mission? Who will join your tribe? And how will you price and distribute your product?Dekko Debuts An Augmented Reality Racing Game Playable From The iPad
Jun 09, 7:31AM
Dekko, a San Francisco-based startup that just closed extra funding to build a platform for augmented reality apps, just brought its first title to market with a racing game that has players drive virtual cars across tabletops. OK, so augmented reality, which overlays virtual items or information over the real world through a phone or tablet’s viewfinder, hasn’t really come into its own yet. There have been plenty of companies like Layar, which built one of the very early augmented reality browsers for the iPhone, which have been around for a few years. That’s partially because the user experience is still a bit unwieldy with people having to take their phones or iPads out and pan their built-in cameras around. But it’s possible that Google Glass could change all of this. Dekko, which recently took an additional $1.3 million in funding, is betting that augmented reality’s moment could be around the corner. Other startups are making this bet as well; another company Daqri just picked up $15 million in a Series A round for augmented reality as well. “We wanted to solve many of the basic user problems with augmented reality. We had a compulsion to at least show something that’s real and fun,” said co-founder and CEO Matt Miesnieks. “We wanted to build an experience that is kind of magical.” The game, which you can demo below, has players hold up their iPads over a table. On the screen, you can see cars racing across a virtual track. It can turn any kind of flat surface into racetrack that’s visible on the iPad. The app is also multiplayer, allowing between one and four people to race each other, do stunts and crash into each other’s cars. The multiplayer mode can show a single, real-time shared view. Tabletop Speed Trailer from Dekko on Vimeo. To me, it sounds like a proof of concept that demonstrates Dekko’s platform, which was built by the startup’s in-house team of computer vision experts. Eventually, they’ll bring their platform to wearables like Google Glass. “One thing we know about Glass is that our tech will work on it,” Miesnieks said. Dekko’s backers include Echo Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, Venture 51, Blumberg Capital, Launch Capital, Thomvest, Eniac Ventures, and Zig Capital, as well as angels like Howard Lindzon, Erik Moore, Dan Conway, and Raymond Tonsing.PlayJam Sticks It To The Video Game Giants
Jun 09, 6:00AM
Editor's note: Ross Rubin is principal analyst at Reticle Research and blogs at Techspressive. It's been six months since PlayJam's GameStick started its off-again, on-again Kickstarter campaign that netted it nearly $650,000 -- well beyond its $100,000 goal. While it attracted less than a tenth of the funds that its predecessor OUYA nabbed for its Android-based home game console, things have moved apace with the two-piece, controller-hosted console that plugs directly into the HDMI connector of a TV that should be shipping to backers next month.We Asked For This
Jun 09, 4:00AM
There is a certain jollity in the reactions of the webby class to news that the NSA has been, first, spying on Verizon communications for years, and second has approached multiple information-gathering startups, hat in hand, asking for access to their data stores. It is indeed funny: faceless bureaucrats who, we are certain, can barely click the Start menu, are horking down data from America's Can You Hear Me Now Network while browsing our Facebook profiles over lunch. Now that the truth has come to light, we're positively giddy. All of our worst fears have come to call and it's hilarious.3D Printer Manufacturer Stratasys In Acquisition Talks With Makerbot
Jun 09, 2:44AM
Makerbot, the Brooklyn-based 3D printing company, is in talks with Minneapolis/Israel-based Stratasys regarding a possible acquisition according to a source close to the matter. While Makerbot founder and CEO Bre Pettis refused to comment on speculation, and in fact told reporters "We're not going anywhere" at a factory opening on Friday, persistent rumors of an acquisition or new funding have followed the company this year.CrunchBase Adds 13,689 Companies And 1,462 Venture Rounds In May
Jun 09, 2:00AM
This week, CrunchBase released the May Excel Export Sheet, which includes charts and graphs that illustrate recent U.S. investments, acquisitions, IPOs and more. Though the charts and graphs focus on May's data, the spreadsheet includes historical data on all U.S.-based companies that have received funding.If at any time you'd like to stop receiving these messages, just send an email to feeds_feedburner_com_techcrunch+unsubscribe-hmdtechnology=gmail.com@mail.feed2email.net.
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